Today, Mary Alice and I joined 3 other couples from the RV Park on a boat tour. The tour originated on South Padre Island and went through the ship channel to Brownsville.

The temperature was in the low 60’s which isn’t bad for this time of year but the wind was blowing briskly which made it uncomfortable without a warm jacket.

The tour included a meal of boiled shrimp, corn on the cob, potatoes, fresh fruit, rolls and all the beer and wine you wished to drink.

Although the wind made things a bit chilly, we still had a great time. The food was good and the beer and wine flowed to blunt the chill. It so blunted the chill that we soon had a Conga line going around the boat which helped to keep us even warmer. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it 😉.

Brownsville is home to several ship breaking yards which dismantle old ships to recycle their steel. It is also home to a large shrimping fleet that plies the Gulf of Mexico. A new industry is ship building and we saw a large cargo ship under construction. When complete, it will be based in Hawaii.

Occassionally, porpoises would appear riding the wake of our boat. Mary Alice was quick enough to shoot a short video which is included at the bottom of the still pictures.

Here’s a few pictures (and the video) we took, today.

Pelicans on the Dock as We Boarded the Tour Boat.

Pelican Balancing on the Handrail of a Neighboring Boat.

This was NOT Our Boat and I’m Not Sure I’d Want to Ride on a Boat with This Name!

We Rode by the Restaurant Where Mary Alice and I Had Lunch Last Friday. It is Located Out on the End of a Long Pier. See Picture, Below.

The Above Restaurant is at the Left End of a Long Pier.

Tall Buildings on South Padre Island.

Sea Birds on a Sand Bar.

Small Shrimp Boat Dragging the Ship Channel for Bait Shrimp.

Birds Swarming Behind the Above Shrimp Boat Hoping for a Easy Meal.

Another Shrimp Boat Dragging for Bait Shrimp in the Ship Channel.

Pelicans Hanging Out on the Stern of the Boat, Above.

A Dredging Rig at Work. Brownsville Has Permission to Deepen the Channel from 42 to 52 Feet.

A Few of the Offshore Shrimping Fleet in Port.

An Old Oil Rig in the Breaking Yard to be Dismantled.

New Container Ship Under Construction. It Will Sail to Hawaii When Complete. This is the First of Two.

An Old Ship Being Dismantled.

Piles of Shredded Metal from Ship Breaking Activities. The Metal is Sold for Scrap.

A Plate from Today’s Lunch. It Was Really Good!

A Porpoise Riding Our Boat’s Wake.